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If you’re going to be attending a game at ONEOK Field in Tulsa, wearing a face mask won’t be required anymore, per the Drillers. In addition, the “buffer zones” behind the team dugouts and bullpens will no longer be in place, allowing fans to return to these close-proximity areas.
The new policies will be in effect for all upcoming Drillers games at ONEOK Field, beginning next Tuesday.
The Oklahoma City Dodgers also released a statement in regards to the newest mask mandate, saying they will strongly encourage fans to keep wearing facial coverings, even though they are no longer required at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. MLB has also eliminated the requirement to provide a buffer zone between the dugout, bullpen and fans in attendance. These changes also take place immediately.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
It was a quiet night from the Dodgers offense, as they fell to the River Cats, 5-2. For the game, OKC had only five hits. They were 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base.
Mike Kickham got the start and allowed three runs in four innings. He struck out six and walked three.
Double-A Tulsa
A huge fifth inning from the Drillers was where the offense came from on Thursday night, as the Drillers won, 9-3.
The first run from the Drillers came off the bat of Michael Busch, who hit a solo shot for his fourth homer of the season. Tulsa then scored six of their seven runs in the fifth inning. After a leadoff single, Hunter Feduccia hit a two-run home run to put Tulsa ahead, 3-2. Donovan Casey had an RBI double a few hitters later, then came in to score on a sac fly to put Tulsa up 5-2. Devin Mann then followed with a two-run home run, his first of the season, putting the Drillers up by five runs. For good measure, they added two insurance runs in the ninth inning.
John Rooney started for Tulsa, allowing two runs in three innings. Nick Robertson pitched the final four innings, allowing only two hits in his scoreless outing.
High-A Great Lakes
A three-run first inning was more than enough for the Loons on Thursday, as they took down the Whitecaps, 4-1. Miguel Vargas and Andy Pages reached base in the top half of the first. Ryan Ward doubled, clearing the bases and putting GL up 2-0. Joe Vranesh then singled in Ward, giving the Loons a three-run cushion.
The Loons added another run in the third, and that was it for them on the day. Luckily, the pitching did its job and dominated the game. Alec Gamboa started the game with three shutout innings. Austin Drury then relieved him and threw 3 2⁄3 scoreless innings with six strikeouts.
Low-A Rancho Cucamonga
It was a high-scoring affair, but the Quakes fell just short as they lost to the Nuts, 9-8. In addition to a lot of runs being scored, it was truly a crazy game. The Nuts scored two in the first, with the Quakes answering back with a run of their own. Then in the second, the Nuts scored three and were followed by two from the Quakes.
Jorbit Vivas hit a two-run homer for the Quakes in the fifth, cutting their deficit to only one run. Modesto then answered with a two-run homer of their own, pushing their lead back to three. RC then tied things up in the bottom of the sixth. Jonny Deluca hit a solo home run, Jake Vogel tripled in a run and Eddys Leonard singed in a run to tie the game at 8.
Modesto retook the lead in the eighth thanks to an RBI single. Unfortunately the Quakes didn’t have another rally in them, as they lost.
Thursday scores
Friday schedule
3:35 p.m. PT: Great Lakes at West Michigan
5:05 p.m. PT: Sacramento at Oklahoma City (Yefry Ramirez)
5:05 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Ryan Pepiot) at Northwest Arkansas (Alec Marsh)
6:30 p.m. PT: Modesto at Rancho Cucamonga